Ouya is up for sale. And Razer, the gaming peripheral maker with a microconsole of its own on the horizon, is in advanced talks to purchase the company for something in the $10 million range, GamesBeat has learned from a reliable source.

Debt holders triggered the sale, the source told us, and it would cost somewhere around $10 million to buy out those debt holders. Razer sent a statement to GamesBeat earlier this morning that threw its support behind Ouya but didn’t verify or deny that the company — which is preparing to launch its own Forge microconsole — was in pursuit of the struggling platform-holder, as TechCrunch reported this morning.

Ouya’s platform is obviously attractive to Razer — it has a store for more than 1,124 Android games, including numerous exclusives. Adding these to its Forge would help Razer stand out against other microconsoles, such as Amazon’s Fire and Nvidia’s recently announced Shield set-top box. More than 40,000 developers have used Ouya’s development platform.

Sponsored by VB

Gaming is in its golden age, and big and small players alike are maneuvering like kings and queens in A Game of Thrones. Register now for our GamesBeat 2015 event, Oct. 12-Oct.13, where we’ll explore strategies in the new world of gaming.

“Razer has always been supportive of Ouya, in particular, their work toward building an open platform for Android gaming in the living room and the empowerment of developers, especially indie developers, all over the world,” a company spokesperson said. “However, we do not comment on speculation or rumors and will reach out if and when we have substantive information to share.”

Ouya isn’t commenting so far as well.

Roy Bahat, the chairman of Ouya, recently wrote a nice tribute to Ouya’s CEO and founder, Julie Uhrman, about how hard she worked on her dream to create an alternative console for fun, independent games running on a tiny living room console based on Google’s Android operating system.

To fund that dream, she was able to orchestrate one of the most successful Kickstarter projects of all time, raising around $8.6 million via the crowdfunding platform in 2012. And she raised a $15 million round from investors Kleiner Perkins and Mayfield Fund, and more recently, she secured $10 million from Alibaba.

Uhrman hoped to disrupt what was an aging console market, but the new consoles launched in 2013, and Ouya’s machine, dubbed “The People’s Console,” never got much traction. The company pivoted to focus on its software interface and collection of games.

But Ouya’s promise is still just that. And with Razer and possibly others interested in Ouya, one thing is clear: Gamers may not want the Android microconsole, but others continue to see value in its platform.

If the rumors are true, then it won’t be long before Siri makes her debut appearance on Apple TV. But why wait for Apple to bring the voice-recognition goodness to your home streaming setup when Roku is willing to help out in that department right now?

Today the company is announcing several changes to its four-device lineup of media streamers, including the ability to conduct your searches just by speaking into the remote. It’s only available on the range-topping Roku 3 (which maintains its name despite the new features), but because the price has stayed put at $99.99, it’s now a much better deal.

Ordinarily, I’m no fan of voice recognition unless it saves me time, clicks, or both. I almost never use Siri. But when it comes to navigating those stupid on-screen keyboards that nearly every set-top box makes you use for everything from your Wi-Fi password to search, I’d do almost anything to avoid them. That makes voice-based searching a godsend. At our briefing, Lloyd Klarke, director of product management, gave a demo of the feature in action. The voice commands, just as with Siri, are not interpreted locally on the Roku 3 but rather processed in the cloud by a third-party partner that Roku declined to name. Just press the magnifying glass button (which unfortunately replaces the handy skip-back button) on the remote and speak. The demo seemed to work quickly and accurately. Not willing to shell out for a new Roku? “Consumers that have a Roku 3 today or any other current generation Roku player will be able to use voice search through the Roku mobile app for iOS and Android,” Klarke told us.

The Roku 2 also gets a spec bump, but this simply means the 2 is now as speedy and responsive as the 3. On the back end, the biggest change to the Roku system is the ability to conduct an almost universal Roku Search of every streaming channel you subscribe to. I say “almost” because in order for it to work, channels need to be compatible with Roku’s search API and, at this time, only the major players have done this. Still, it’s a vast improvement that makes finding something to watch way easier. Users will no doubt appreciate the ability to see every match for their favorite actors.

On a related note, you can also create special event notifications for your favorite movies or TV shows, a feature called Roku Feed. Let’s say you’re a big Will Ferrell fan, but not so big that you’re willing to fork over movie theater-level bucks to go see Get Hard right now. Simply create an event notification for Get Hard (Roku has a comprehensive list of current box office titles) and the system will notify you automatically every time there is a change to Get Hard‘s status. The first notification will be when it turns up in your Buy It Now or Rent options via Amazon Instant Video, Google Play, or one of the other channels. You can then delete the event or keep it and be informed when it shows up on one of your subscription services, like Netflix (probably your best bet — sorry, Will).

The new products and features are all available starting today.

More information:

]]>0Roku adds voice recognition and improves its search capabilitiesGoogle buys Green Throttle Games, which could be a big part of its Android set-top boxhttp://venturebeat.com/2014/03/12/google-buys-green-throttle-games-which-could-be-a-big-part-of-its-set-top-box/
http://venturebeat.com/2014/03/12/google-buys-green-throttle-games-which-could-be-a-big-part-of-its-set-top-box/#commentsWed, 12 Mar 2014 13:42:56 +0000http://venturebeat.com/?p=1107992What could Google possibly do with a failed Android gaming company from the co-creator of the once massively popular Guitar Hero music sim? Perhaps turn its rumored media box into a pseudo-game console. Google has confirmed its purchase of the remnants of Green Throttle Games, a gaming startup that developed a unique Bluetooth gaming controller […]
]]>

What could Google possibly do with a failed Android gaming company from the co-creator of the once massively popular Guitar Hero music sim? Perhaps turn its rumored media box into a pseudo-game console.

Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, but Pandodaily notes that cofounders (and former Palm employees) Matt Crowley and Karl Townsend have joined Google, along with other assets from the company. Cofounder Charles Huang, best known as the co-creator of Guitar Hero, still holds some rights to the company’s business and is now focusing on his karaoke startup Singtrix. It sounds like Google mainly wanted some key aspects of Green Throttle’s tech rather than the entire company.

With $6 million in funding from Trinity Ventures and DCM, Green Throttle was trying to do something different in the Android gaming space: Its controller hooked up to Android phones and tablets wirelessly for game playing. The idea was that you’d also hook up your Android device to your TV, so it would effectively serve as a game console. The company also developed an SDK so developers could add support to their games for Green Throttle’s controller.

“Mobile gaming is exploding, and new smart devices are becoming powerful alternatives to traditional consoles,” Huang told VentureBeat in an interview when the company launched in 2012. “We just need a simple and fun way for people to play games both on the go and on the couch. Our mission is to create great game experiences that bring people together — a big-screen experience where you can just start playing games on a television, as simple as that.”

While the company failed to make that vision come true, it’s likely a compelling mission for Google, which is rumored to be developing an Android set-top box for TVs. Having a built-in way to play Android games with a controller would be a huge plus, especially when other Android gaming solutions like Bluestacks’ Gamepop and Ouya require additional gaming hardware of their own. Apple is also rumored to be considering gaming support in an updated Apple TV.

More information:

]]>0Google buys Green Throttle Games, which could be a big part of its Android set-top boxBoxee TV adds a slew of features it should have had at launchhttp://venturebeat.com/2013/03/27/boxee-tv-adds-a-slew-of-features-that-should-have-been-at-launch/
http://venturebeat.com/2013/03/27/boxee-tv-adds-a-slew-of-features-that-should-have-been-at-launch/#commentsWed, 27 Mar 2013 16:26:42 +0000http://venturebeat.com/?p=706352As disappointed as I was in the Boxee TV during my review, it's still hooked up to my HDTV in the hopes that it will eventually get better.
]]>

As disappointed as I was in the Boxee TV during my review, it’s still hooked up to my HDTV in the hopes it will eventually get better.

Today, Boxee announced that it’s rolling out a major new update, and it looks like this upgrade addresses many of my initial issues. You can now schedule and manage cloud DVR recordings right from the Boxee TV (previously it required that you log onto a website with your phone or tablet), play back files from DLNA servers on your network, and resume playback from DVR recordings.

Sponsored by VB

Join us at GrowthBeat where thought leaders from the biggest brands will share winning growth strategies on August 17-18 in San Francisco. Sign up now!

The update also includes a number of bug fixes, which hopefully means I won’t have to rely as much on Boxee TV’s hand reset button.

In my brief testing of the update this morning, I was able to start recording an episode of a show while watching it, and I also scheduled a recording for a show airing later directly from Boxee TV’s on-screen guide. While it’s nice to have the flexibility to choose and manage recordings on the device now, Boxee TV’s cloud DVR feature is still lacking when it comes to basic DVR features.

You can’t pause or rewind live TV, and you also can’t immediately access a recording until it’s processed by Boxee’s servers. Basic DVR features are complicated by the way Boxee TV handles recordings — instead of storing them locally on the device, it sends them directly to its servers. That allows the company to offer “unlimited DVR” capabilities with no storage limits, but it makes working with recordings far more difficult.

I didn’t have a chance to test out the DLNA streaming feature, but that should be a nice addition for Boxee’s existing fans. It lets the Boxee TV play back videos, music, and photos from DLNA servers on PCs. It’s not something average users will likely deal with, but for the techie crowd that felt slighted by the Boxee TV’s lack of hardcore media streaming features, it’s a nice addition.

I’ve only had about an hour to test the update, but I’m hoping it fixes the shocking instability issues I noticed with the Boxee TV. I’ve often had to reset the device several times during viewing sessions over the past few months, which was surprising for a device that’s been in stores since last November.

]]>0Boxee TV adds a slew of features it should have had at launchOrange taps Movea to create a gesture-based set-top boxhttp://venturebeat.com/2013/01/03/orange-taps-movea-to-create-a-gesture-based-set-top-box/
http://venturebeat.com/2013/01/03/orange-taps-movea-to-create-a-gesture-based-set-top-box/#commentsThu, 03 Jan 2013 14:00:19 +0000http://venturebeat.com/?p=598090European telecom carrier Orange has teamed up with Movea to create a set-top box for the living room that operates on gesture controls.
]]>

European telecom carrier Orange has teamed up with Movea to create a set-top box for the living room that operates on gesture controls.

The set-top will use Grenoble, France-based Movea’s motion-sensing and processing technologies to enable TV watchers to control their television choices with hand gestures. They’ll also be able to play motion-sensing games and navigate through a user interface with the twist of a wrist.

The new Orange Livebox set-top uses Movea’s SmartMotion Server, a motion-processing engine. The box will ship with a special remote control that works much the way that a Wii game console remote does.

“With the rapid evolution of smart TVs and smart-home systems, we see the demand for more intelligent home entertainment devices and natural user interfaces,” said Jean-Bernard Willem, head of content marketing for Orange France.

Sponsored by VB

Join us at GrowthBeat where thought leaders from the biggest brands will share winning growth strategies on August 17-18 in San Francisco. Sign up now!

For Orange, the set-top is a way to control lots of things in the home beyond TV shows. You can use hand gestures to control volume, web browsing, and gamepads or joysticks as well as to navigate through music, video, and photos.

The SmartMotion Server works with 10 different gestures. You can make a “check” gesture to select an item and an “X” gesture to close an app.

“Movea and Orange are leading the charge in responding to consumers’ increasing appetite for a more powerful and intuitive home theater experience,” said Sam Guilaumé, chief executive of Movea.

Movea’s SmartMotion Server is platform agnostic, while Orange’s Livebox Play TV service delivers new sources of revenue, such as video on demand and TV apps. Orange’s Livebox set-top box with remote control is now available for preorder and will be ready for purchase in February.

Surprise, surprise: Negotiations with content providers are significantly delaying Intel’s plans to take over your living room, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Sources tell the WSJ that Intel originally planned to launch a television set-top box, which will reportedly allow consumers to subscribe to television channels over the web by the end of 2012. But now the timing is up in the air. Intel could either end up debuting it in the middle of this year or in the fourth quarter, due to prolonged content deals, the sources say.

Rumors of Intel stepping into the TV set-top box business have been around since last March, following the company’s move away from providing chipsets for Google TV devices and the geek-friendly Boxee Box. Last week we heard that Intel may debut its set-top box at CES next week, but now that doesn’t seem very likely.

Content deals have typically squashed attempts at revolutionizing the living room. Google TV had plenty of potential at launch with its ability to combine traditional TV service with web video, but broadcast networks were quick to block GTV devices from their websites and Hulu (which is owned by several networks). There’s still no official Hulu app for Google TV (or for devices from Boxee). Even Apple has dealt with content issues — it took forever for the Apple TV to get a Hulu app, and it’s likely a big reason why there aren’t more apps available on the Apple TV.

]]>0Content deals delay Intel’s rumored Internet TV set-top boxApple’s vision for a set-top box blurs the distinction between live and on-demand videoshttp://venturebeat.com/2012/08/16/apples-vision-for-a-set-top-box-blurs-the-distinction-between-live-and-on-demand-videos/
http://venturebeat.com/2012/08/16/apples-vision-for-a-set-top-box-blurs-the-distinction-between-live-and-on-demand-videos/#commentsFri, 17 Aug 2012 02:09:14 +0000http://venturebeat.com/?p=512203Apple is planning hardware that could store movies on the internet and blur the line between live and on-demand video
]]>

Apple reportedly plans to build a new device that replaces its current Apple TV and blends live and on-demand content. The Wall Street Journal, following up on a report yesterday, said today that the new set-top box from the Cupertino, Calif.-based tech giant will simplify how we access and view TV content.

Apple is in talks with cable companies to allow consumers to use Apple TV as their main set-top box and use it to view TV shows stored on the Internet. One cool feature is reportedly similar to Time Warner Cable’s Start Over. It will allow someone to start watching a show from the beginning, even if it has just begun playing at its scheduled time.

The device is expected to have a user interface resembling the navigation icons on Apple’s iPad. That design is subject to change, but the interface is expected to be easier to use than current cable TV user interfaces. Users will be able to share TV shows through services like Twitter. And Apple wants users to be able to access shows from iPhones or iPads. Apple declined comment on the matter to the Wall Street Journal.

It is reportedly in talks with Time Warner Cable as well as other entertainment companies that own their own TV content. That’s because entertainment companies may have to extend additional rights to enable Apple to deploy its box. Apple has had trouble getting those rights so far. The set-top box is part of Apple’s plan to succeed in the living room and make its Apple TV product into more than a hobbyist’s curiosity. Apple’s sales of Apple TV have been weak to date, at least in comparison to its iPhones and iPad sales. Any deal with the cable companies will be hard to achieve because of the fear that Apple would dominate the industry in the future.

]]>0Apple’s vision for a set-top box blurs the distinction between live and on-demand videos‘Airplay’ for Google TV? You need a $300 TRON bowling ball for thathttp://venturebeat.com/2012/06/27/nexus-q-no-google-tv/
http://venturebeat.com/2012/06/27/nexus-q-no-google-tv/#commentsThu, 28 Jun 2012 01:12:51 +0000http://venturebeat.com/?p=481294Today, Google announced its slick-looking media streamer the Nexus Q, which allows people to share the digital media from their Android devices on a television. This is a feature that Apple began offering nearly a year ago via the Apple TV, but for some reason Google thought it would be a great idea to create […]
]]>

Today, Google announced its slick-looking media streamer the Nexus Q, which allows people to share the digital media from their Android devices on a television. This is a feature that Apple began offering nearly a year ago via the Apple TV, but for some reason Google thought it would be a great idea to create an entire device for it that only works with Android-based smartphones and tablets.

I suspect this will prove to be an awful decision on Google’s part for a number of reasons.

Sponsored by VB

Join us at GrowthBeat where thought leaders from the biggest brands will share winning growth strategies on August 17-18 in San Francisco. Sign up now!

First of all, a number of competitors already offer this streaming functionality — and as a complimentary feature. The Apple TV’s Airplay enables TV screen sharing in addition to its support for several third-party media services like Netflix, YouTube, Vimeo, MLB, NHL, and more. And with the purchase of cloud-media startup mSpot, Samsung is also planning to offer this kind of functionality on all its devices, complete with a Google Play-like digital media store. It’s worth noting that Samsung is also one of the most popular sellers of Android-based mobile devices. All that said, plenty of other platforms/devices offer far more than the Nexus Q.

And finally, I don’t see the majority of people running out to spend $300 on a TRON-like Poké Ball for digital media — especially when cheaper alternatives exist. The Apple TV, like the Nexus Q, requires the use of mobile devices on its platform to enable the Airplay feature. However, the Apple TV is also $200 less expensive. For the more tech-savvy bunch, you can spend even less to get the Nexus Q’s functionality. A Roku LT costs just $49 and has support for digital streaming service Plex.

I’m not saying that the Nexus Q is worthless, because it’s obviously not. Being able to share the digital media on my mobile devices via television — while others are doing the same — is a pretty cool concept. And the design is actually really awesome. I’m assuming Google went with a sphere-shape for the Nexus Q to keep its Google TV hardware partners from getting nervous. But instead, those same partners are probably wondering why Google is holding out on them by not giving Google TV “Airplay-like” functionality.

It’s unknown if Google will allow its Nexus Q to also stream/screen-share with Android apps or other third-party services on Android-based devices. Currently, the Nexus Q only offers support for Google Play media. I’m guessing that probably won’t change, but we’ll have to wait and see.

Will you be buying a Nexus Q when it goes on sale? Let us know in the comments.

]]>0‘Airplay’ for Google TV? You need a $300 TRON bowling ball for thatWhiteman Technology readies Windows-based set-top boxhttp://venturebeat.com/2012/04/19/demo-whiteman-technology-readies-windows-based-set-top-box/
http://venturebeat.com/2012/04/19/demo-whiteman-technology-readies-windows-based-set-top-box/#commentsThu, 19 Apr 2012 22:48:09 +0000http://venturebeat.com/?p=415050The tiny startup Whiteman Technology unveiled a Windows-based set-top box that will handle many living room entertainment tasks, which are various enough to include displaying cable TV programming and playing 3D games for the PC. The Clovis, N.M.-based startup made the announcement of the all-in-one Delta digital video recorder (DVR) device today at the DEMO Spring […]
]]>

The tiny startup Whiteman Technology unveiled a Windows-based set-top box that will handle many living room entertainment tasks, which are various enough to include displaying cable TV programming and playing 3D games for the PC.

The Clovis, N.M.-based startup made the announcement of the all-in-one Delta digital video recorder (DVR) device today at the DEMO Spring 2012 conference in Santa Clara, Calif. The company is trying to take advantage of a lull in the launch of high-end consumer electronics equipment. Companies such as Microsoft and Sony have delayed the launch of new video game systems, leaving an opening for the firm, said Ryan Whiteman, president and co-founder, in an interview with VentureBeat. The idea is to consolidate multiple boxes into just one.

Above: Whiteman Technology at DEMO

“We can handle the recording of six channels at the same time,” Whiteman said.

The Whiteman Technology box will be able to handle cable card programming and store a whole entertainment collection on a three-terabyte hard drive. It will have the hardware to handle advanced 3D gaming and plenty of space to store pictures, music, movies, and videos. It could use both voice control and gesture recognition for input.

Sponsored by VB

Join us at GrowthBeat where thought leaders from the biggest brands will share winning growth strategies on August 17-18 in San Francisco. Sign up now!

It may not be easy for the company to pull off. Whiteman acknowledges that it is tough starting a company in a small town in New Mexico. And with only five employees, the self-funded Whiteman Technology could have its hands full if the product takes off.

“We’ve taken people off guard with a hardware startup,” Whiteman said. “We have gotten a lot of attention, and we intend to build this in the U.S.”

The device will have a Blu-ray playback drive, and it will be able to run Android apps via the Blue Stacks emulator software.

Whiteman hasn’t set the price yet, but it will be comparable to Tivo-like DVRs. He said it will use a new multicore accelerated processing unit (APU) from Advanced Micro Devices, which can put a microprocessor and graphics chip together on the same integrated circuit. It will run the Windows 7 embedded operating system from Microsoft, and it will have the Windows Media Center user interface. Over time, it could be upgraded to use Windows 8. Whiteman hopes to launch the product in the fourth quarter.

Whiteman came up with the idea in 2008 and started the firm last year with co-founders Blake Jordan and Shaffin Baldwin. Whiteman was previously a contractor for the Air Force and spent five years in the U.S. Navy.

Whiteman Technology is one of 80 companies chosen by VentureBeat to launch at the DEMO Spring 2012 event taking place this week in Silicon Valley. After we make our selections, the chosen companies pay a fee to present. Our coverage of them remains objective.

]]>0Whiteman Technology readies Windows-based set-top boxTV features emerge as Apple holds meetings with media companieshttp://venturebeat.com/2011/12/18/apple-tv-features/
http://venturebeat.com/2011/12/18/apple-tv-features/#commentsMon, 19 Dec 2011 04:21:45 +0000http://venturebeat.com/?p=366940Apple may be deeper into the television project than we thought, as the company is reportedly visiting media companies to share its technology plans. Since Walter Isaacson’s biography of Steve Jobs was released, people have been buzzing about what the late Apple chief executive suggested was Apple’s next adventure: televisions. Many have speculated what an […]
]]>

Apple may be deeper into the television project than we thought, as the company is reportedly visiting media companies to share its technology plans.

Since Walter Isaacson’s biography of Steve Jobs was released, people have been buzzing about what the late Apple chief executive suggested was Apple’s next adventure: televisions. Many have speculated what an Apple television could be like. Former Apple executive Jean-Louis Gassée sees it as another box, supporting applications, a function that has recreated how people use mobile phones. Others envision classic Apple designs, product marketing, and being told what they want without ever knowing they wanted it.

Sponsored by VB

Join us at GrowthBeat where thought leaders from the biggest brands will share winning growth strategies on August 17-18 in San Francisco. Sign up now!

Today, however, the Wall Street Journal reported that the television’s features may already be in the works. According to the Journal’s sources, Apple is visiting media companies in a sort of technology pitch roadshow. These companies want to know about Apple’s plans, which are generally kept extremely confidential, in order to know whether the TV venture is worth joining.

So what are the features that may be in the television, according to these sources?

Voice controlled channel surfing may be the answer to every remote-loser’s prayers. The feature sounds similar to what the Xbox Kinect can currently do — read your motions to determine actions. This, plus voice response technology may be integrated into Apple’s TV of the future, though the company has reportedly said this function would take a lot of developing and time.

Streaming sync would serve the tv-watcher on the go. Ever been walking out the door when suddenly Luke finds Laura has come out of her delusional state and wants to come home to raise Lu Lu (any General Hospital lovers in the audience)? With Apple’s television, you wouldn’t have have to miss a single soap opera second, as your streaming show would sync between devices. Turn off the TV, the show would be waiting for you on your iPad where you left off, according to sources.

Compatibility with your existing Apple products. Having the new Apple-made television may not make the current Apple TV device superfluous. Instead, it may actually use the set top box, which competes in the realm of Roku boxes, for streaming Netflix, YouTube and connecting you to your other content in the cloud.

Apple mobile device control further pushes Apple’s reported television from the remote control. According to the Journal’s sources, Steve Jobs wanted a television that could be linked to his existing mobile devices such as the iPhone and iPad, perhaps even the iPod touch. According to the Journal, this could potentially be executed by connecting the TV and those devices using AirPlay, Apple’s wireless technology, which already connects many of its products.

Streaming media from mobile devices directly to the television, would remove the set top box from the quation. This feature would allow anyone watching a YouTube video, listening to a song, or watching a movie to transfer that viewing experience from one screen to the next without having to route it through a box, such as the Apple TV.

DVR storage within iCloud tops off the potential features list. Using this feature, you would not have to download rented or purchased movies more than once to view them on different devices.

Some have wondered if Apple will include Siri in its television plans, perhaps as a way to understand your voice, aiding the first reported feature. In order to make these plans come to fruition, however, Apple will need to convince media companies to jump on board, and if we’ve learned anything from iTunes, that will take a lot of effort.

]]>0TV features emerge as Apple holds meetings with media companiesSlingplayer adds Boxee Box app ahead of Google TVhttp://venturebeat.com/2011/11/22/slingplayer-boxee-app/
http://venturebeat.com/2011/11/22/slingplayer-boxee-app/#commentsTue, 22 Nov 2011 19:45:09 +0000http://venturebeat.com/?p=356328Sling Media launched a new Slingplayer application for streaming media set-top box Boxee, the company revealed today. The Slingplayer is an extension of the company’s Slingbox set-top box, which allows owners to stream content from their cable or satellite television service providers to a variety of platforms. The Slingplayer is currently available via the web, […]
]]>Sling Media launched a new Slingplayer application for streaming media set-top box Boxee, the company revealed today.

The Slingplayer is an extension of the company’s Slingbox set-top box, which allows owners to stream content from their cable or satellite television service providers to a variety of platforms. The Slingplayer is currently available via the web, Android devices, iOS devices and Facebook.

Essentially, pairing your Slingbox with Boxee gives you the ability to watch cable through your Boxee Box. Yet, to do that it’ll cost you quite a bit of money. The Slingboxes cost between $179 and $349 and require some kind of cable or satellite monthly service ($50 to $200), while the Boxee Box runs $179. (Although, you can run the Boxee software on a computer for free.) With that said, I’m wondering how many people actually own both set-top devices.

Still, there’s something to be said for making sure your service is supported on a large number of platforms, which is a strategy that has served Netflix well. In that regard, putting the Slingplayer on the Boxee does make sense. However, I am surprised that the company produced a Boxee app prior to launching one for the Google TV platform, which — unlike Boxee — is intended to complement existing cable services.

]]>0Slingplayer adds Boxee Box app ahead of Google TVRoku makes a run for the border, launching in the UK and Canada soonhttp://venturebeat.com/2011/11/17/roku-uk-canada/
http://venturebeat.com/2011/11/17/roku-uk-canada/#commentsThu, 17 Nov 2011 22:49:30 +0000http://venturebeat.com/?p=354543Roku, the company known for its line of affordable set-top boxes, is planning to expand into U.K. and Canada, the company announced today. The company’s set-top boxes, which range in price from $49-$99, allow people to access over 350 channels of content from video, music, social and gaming services. The move makes sense for Roku […]
]]>Roku, the company known for its line of affordable set-top boxes, is planning to expand into U.K. and Canada, the company announced today.

The company’s set-top boxes, which range in price from $49-$99, allow people to access over 350 channels of content from video, music, social and gaming services. The move makes sense for Roku since its largest media partner, Netflix, is already available in Canada and will soon launch in the U.K.

Netflix has been an integral part of Roku’s success since launching in 2008. The partnership helped Roku sell over a million set-top boxes last year. The latest version of Roku’s boxes even feature a Netflix button on the remote. It’s no wonder that the company has waited until now to enter into international markets.

However, many of the other media partners are region specific due to legal issues around streaming video content internationally. This means they won’t necessarily be available in other countries. For instance, Hulu Plus, which offers a variety of ad-supported premium TV content, won’t be crossing the border when Roku debuts in the new markets. It’ll be interesting to see who Roku is able to forge partnerships with when it launches internationally.

Roku is scheduled to begin selling its line of set-boxes in both countries in early 2012, according to the company.

]]>0Roku makes a run for the border, launching in the UK and Canada soonBoxee’s Live TV stick lets you joyfully end your cable subscriptionhttp://venturebeat.com/2011/11/16/boxee-box-live-tv/
http://venturebeat.com/2011/11/16/boxee-box-live-tv/#commentsWed, 16 Nov 2011 16:03:07 +0000http://venturebeat.com/?p=353626Boxee is releasing a new Live TV stick add-on for its streaming media set-top box that will allow owners to gain access to live television channels, the company announced today. The Live TV stick, which will be available in January 2012 for $49, is basically a high-powered HD antenna that provides Boxee Box owners with […]
]]>Boxee is releasing a new Live TV stick add-on for its streaming media set-top box that will allow owners to gain access to live television channels, the company announced today.

The Live TV stick, which will be available in January 2012 for $49, is basically a high-powered HD antenna that provides Boxee Box owners with local channels like ABC, CBS, Fox, CW and NBC with no monthly fee. Of course, the HD signal has always been free for people in the U.S., but until now there’s never been a compelling reason for many to take advantage of it.

Boxee is betting that the combination of free basic live TV channels with videos from services such as YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, Vimeo and others will be enough for many people to end their expensive cable subscriptions (a.k.a. cut the cord). It’s likely to work, too.

Sponsored by VB

Join us at GrowthBeat where thought leaders from the biggest brands will share winning growth strategies on August 17-18 in San Francisco. Sign up now!

One of the main reasons people hesitate killing their cable subscriptions, which can reach over $100 in fees each month, is the lack of availability of local programming, live sports and big events like the Oscars and presidential debates. And as the company points out, 89 of the top 100 shows were on broadcast networks last year.

“Cable companies keep telling the press and investors that cord cutting is not real, and that if it exists then it’s limited to people who can no longer afford cable. We are sure they are conducting objective and unbiased research, but we are meeting more and more ‘cord never getters’ and ‘cord cutters’ every day. They are more than just people tightening their belts in tough economic times, these are people who have left cable TV behind because it does not fit their lifestyle. They are part of a changing culture, with a changing expectation of how they watch the shows they love. The cord cutters we talk to have changed the way they watch TV. They don’t sit in front of it and channel surf hoping to land on something to watch, they don’t know when shows air, they sometimes don’t even know what channel shows are on. They love TV, but not necessarily on an actual TV. The only time they tune into a channel is to watch something live.”

The news that the Live TV stick will essentially be an HD antenna resolves earlier speculation that the add-on would be complementary to cable services like Comcast, Dish Network and DirecTV. GigaOM, which got its hands on a new Boxee software update that included support for live TV, was unable to connect, and now we know why.

One thing the new Live TV stick won’t do is turn the Boxee Box into a DVR. Yet, the company said it’s willing to add support for recording shows via the USB connection if enough people ask for it.

It also can’t compensate for areas in the country with poor HDTV signal strength. However, you can subscribe to a basic cable service (ranges from $13-$20) and connect the coaxial cable to the stick for the same experience.

The Live TV stick only works with the Boxee Box — meaning anyone who uses the Boxee Software on a computer or dedicated media box is out of luck. Right now the company is only supporting Live TV in U.S. and Canada, but additional countries could gain support in the future.

Will Boxee’s new Live TV stick make you cut the cord?

]]>0Boxee’s Live TV stick lets you joyfully end your cable subscriptionXbox as a set-top cable box? Microsoft in talks with Comcast and Verizonhttp://venturebeat.com/2011/09/19/xbox-set-top-cable-box/
http://venturebeat.com/2011/09/19/xbox-set-top-cable-box/#commentsMon, 19 Sep 2011 20:19:19 +0000http://venturebeat.com/?p=333029Microsoft is committed to securing a spot in your living room. The technology giant is in talks with both Comcast and Verizon to make its Xbox 360 gaming console a set-top cable box, according to a report from Digiday that cites anonymous sources familiar with the company. Microsoft first announced that a live TV service […]
]]>Microsoft is committed to securing a spot in your living room. The technology giant is in talks with both Comcast and Verizon to make its Xbox 360 gaming console a set-top cable box, according to a report from Digiday that cites anonymous sources familiar with the company.

Microsoft first announced that a live TV service would be coming to the Xbox at E3 in June, but the company didn’t offer up many details. Of the information it did share about the service, it sounded a lot like a direct partnership between cable TV providers. Microsoft said the live TV service, which is expected to be available this fall, would have access to local channels, sports and more.

The market for set-top boxes has definitely grown in the past few years. Popular boxes like Roku, Boxee, Apple TV and various Google TV enabled devices are currently dominating the market. Yet, none of those options come close to the kind of value that an Xbox offers its customers.

Making the Xbox a viable set-top box would be an excellent move for Microsoft. Not only does the console itself compare in price to other options ($149- $199 for an Xbox verses $60-$199 for others), but it also brings the company’s other services into clear view in a way that wasn’t possible before.

]]>0Xbox as a set-top cable box? Microsoft in talks with Comcast and VerizonBoxee steps up its game with iPad app and firmware updatehttp://venturebeat.com/2011/08/09/boxee-ipad-app/
http://venturebeat.com/2011/08/09/boxee-ipad-app/#commentsTue, 09 Aug 2011 16:18:04 +0000http://venturebeat.com/?p=318024Streaming content company Boxee released a new iPad app Tuesday aimed at getting more people to use its media center software and boosting adoption of its streaming media set-top boxes. The Boxee iPad app could easily become one of the most essential tools for people who have ditched their cable subscriptions in favor of watching […]
]]>Streaming content company Boxee released a new iPad app Tuesday aimed at getting more people to use its media center software and boosting adoption of its streaming media set-top boxes.

The Boxee iPad app could easily become one of the most essential tools for people who have ditched their cable subscriptions in favor of watching streaming video on the internet.

“We really look at this as a way to introduce a bunch of new users to Boxee,” said Boxee Vice President of Marketing Andrew Kippen. “We wanted to create something that worked on its own and wasn’t necessarily tied to Boxee on your computer or a Boxee Box.”

Sponsored by VB

Join us at GrowthBeat where thought leaders from the biggest brands will share winning growth strategies on August 17-18 in San Francisco. Sign up now!

When paired with the company’s Media Manager, the app lets you stream videos from a computer to the iPad over WiFi in almost any video format. You can also bookmark videos to watch later using a new bookmarklet and connect with social networks like Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr.

The app can be especially useful for anyone who owns a Boxee Box set-top device. The Boxee software optimizes the experience of watching streaming videos from a large screen television while also allowing people to communicate with friends through social networks.

The iPad is intended to enhance that “media center” experience, according to Kippen.

Unfortunately, not all of the Boxee apps (Netflix, Vudu) are available on the iPad.

“We’re working within the confines of a system that doesn’t have Flash, Kippen said, adding that the only way to make a service like Netflix work would be to utilize its official iOS application. “It gets to be a little bit awkward sending people outside to separate apps… which is why we tend to focus on the more social elements and the watching videos later (queue).”

The company also announced a new firmware update for its Boxee Box that will be available to all users by the end of the week. The update, which will roll out over the next few days, has several notable additions, including:

]]>0Boxee steps up its game with iPad app and firmware updateiCloud comes to Apple TV with latest software updatehttp://venturebeat.com/2011/08/02/apple-tv-update-icloud-vimeo/
http://venturebeat.com/2011/08/02/apple-tv-update-icloud-vimeo/#commentsTue, 02 Aug 2011 10:07:41 +0000http://venturebeat.com/?p=315179Apple quietly released an update Monday for its second generation Apple TV set-top box that lets you purchase videos directly from the device and stream videos that you previously purchased through iTunes. The new functionality is no doubt part of the company’s overall initiative to push all media to its new iCloud storage service. It’s […]
]]>

Apple quietly released an update Monday for its second generation Apple TV set-top box that lets you purchase videos directly from the device and stream videos that you previously purchased through iTunes.

The new functionality is no doubt part of the company’s overall initiative to push all media to its new iCloud storage service. It’s also probably Apple’s most significant addition to the Apple TV since it released the second generation device.

Prior to Monday’s update, Apple TV users were only able to purchase rentals of TV shows and movies streamed from the company’s servers to the device. This is because the current version of the device lacked the available data storage capacity to retain a larger (or even small, to be honest) video library.

Sponsored by VB

Join us at GrowthBeat where thought leaders from the biggest brands will share winning growth strategies on August 17-18 in San Francisco. Sign up now!

With the iCloud service slated to launch publicly this fall, Apple can finally grant customers access to their media libraries without having them bear the burden of storage.

The software update also adds access to the library of video content from Vimeo. It joins previously available services like YouTube, Netflix and Flickr.

Vimeo spent almost a year designing an app specifically for the Apple TV, according to vice president of product and development Andrew Pile.

“Apple reached out to us… and we were more than happy to put in the time to create a Vimeo app for the Apple TV that provided a complete experience,” Pile told VentureBeat.

One of the most notable features of the Vimeo app is its “Watch Later” channel, Pile said. When people come across a short film or sketch clip they’d like to save for later, they can click a button on the video player that will push it to the “watch later” playlist.

“I think a lot of the content on Vimeo is best viewed on a larger screen. So, this is an easy way to make that happen,” Pile explained.

It’s worth noting that YouTube also has this feature, but sadly the company’s Apple TV app doesn’t provide access to the “watch later” playlist (or any other playlist for that matter).

]]>0iCloud comes to Apple TV with latest software updateNew study shows cable set-top boxes are electricity vampireshttp://venturebeat.com/2011/06/27/nrdc-cable-box-smart-grid/
http://venturebeat.com/2011/06/27/nrdc-cable-box-smart-grid/#commentsMon, 27 Jun 2011 16:51:26 +0000http://venturebeat.com/?p=303609Think you’re running an energy-efficient household? You better turn off that cable box. Digital video recording (DVR) set-top boxes burn through more electricity than an energy-efficient refrigerator, according to a new study by the National Resource Defense Council. The DVR set-top boxes can consume as much as 446 kilowatt-hours a year. The boxes are typically running […]
]]>Think you’re running an energy-efficient household? You better turn off that cable box. Digital video recording (DVR) set-top boxes burn through more electricity than an energy-efficient refrigerator, according to a new study by the National Resource Defense Council.

The DVR set-top boxes can consume as much as 446 kilowatt-hours a year. The boxes are typically running because they are recording television shows while the owner is away from their home. There is at least one set-top box for every two television owners, according to the study.

An average home in the United States consumes around 10,896 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. That means that the set-top box, which sits inconspicuously on top of most televisions without generating any noise, accounts for around 4 percent of an average U.S. resident’s electricity consumption. The device is usually running full steam, even though it is left unused around 66 percent of the time, according to the report.

That idle time costs consumers around $2 billion every year, according to the report.

More energy-efficient options are available, although not from U.S. manufacturers, according to the report. A U.K. manufacturer has created a set-top box that powers down into sleep mode — reducing its electricity consumption by half — when the device is not in use. The device powers up briefly every half hour to check if the owner has requested a new show to record through a smartphone, and then powers back down if it doesn’t have to record anything.

The report also suggests that manufacturers create more intelligent ways to program and use the set-top boxes — such as using smartphones to manage the devices instead of leaving them on all the time. It would tie set-top boxes into the “smart grid” — an electrical power grid that is managed by advanced computer algorithms to promote better energy efficiency and reduce electricity waste.

The report indicates that Energy Star, a government-backed program that encourages manufacturers to create energy-efficient appliances, should drop the hammer on cable companies that are distributing the set-top boxes. The next phase of the program, Energy Star 4.0, will have much stricter standards for energy efficiency.

]]>0New study shows cable set-top boxes are electricity vampiresAngry Birds to invade TVs this summer with Rokuhttp://venturebeat.com/2011/05/31/angry-birds-to-invade-tvs-next-with-roku/
http://venturebeat.com/2011/05/31/angry-birds-to-invade-tvs-next-with-roku/#commentsWed, 01 Jun 2011 04:01:25 +0000http://venturebeat.com/?p=262652Yes, Angry Birds is now officially everywhere. Streaming video set-top box maker Roku has announced that it’s partnering with game maker Rovio to bring Angry Birds to televisions this summer. The company says it will offer all three current Angry Birds games (the original, Rio and Seasons) on a new product this summer, launch an […]
]]>Yes, Angry Birds is now officially everywhere. Streaming video set-top box maker Roku has announced that it’s partnering with game maker Rovio to bring Angry Birds to televisions this summer.

The company says it will offer all three current Angry Birds games (the original, Rio and Seasons) on a new product this summer, launch an Angry Birds video channel, and sell merchandise for the series via its store channel. Roku is also looking at the partnership as the first step towards offering other popular casual games on its devices.

Roku is still being cagey about the casual gaming plans for its current and older generation players — the big problem there being that Roku’s current remote control isn’t suited to game playing at all. There also aren’t any details about the company’s next-generation player plans, but you can expect at least one model to come with some sort of gaming controller.

Rovio previously announced that it will be bringing Angry Birds to game consoles, and it’s already available on the PSP (in a version that’s also playable on the PS3). But Roku is promoting the fact that it’s delivering the first true Angry Birds TV experience.

]]>5Angry Birds to invade TVs this summer with RokuInternet-on-your-TV startup Boxee raises $16.5Mhttp://venturebeat.com/2011/03/01/boxee-funding/
http://venturebeat.com/2011/03/01/boxee-funding/#commentsTue, 01 Mar 2011 13:00:43 +0000http://venturebeat.com/?p=246180Boxee, the New York startup that finally started shipping its much-anticipated streaming video device the Boxee Box last November, just announced that it has raised $16.5 million in new funding. Boxee started out with software that users could download to their computers, then connect those computers to their TVs to watch online video. But the […]
]]>Boxee, the New York startup that finally started shipping its much-anticipated streaming video device the Boxee Box last November, just announced that it has raised $16.5 million in new funding.

Boxee started out with software that users could download to their computers, then connect those computers to their TVs to watch online video. But the long-term goal was always to make the service available on set-top boxes and other devices for your TV. The company describes the Boxee Box (which is manufactured by D-Link) as “the one box your TV needs” — and now that it supports Netflix, that claim has a little more weight.

A company spokesman said Boxee plans to use the new funding to grow the product development team, to add more content, and to sign up more partners to create Boxee devices. As a measure of how the company has expanded since Boxee last raised money in 2009, the company said it has gone from 12 to 34 employees, and that its software has gone from a super-early alpha test to version 1.0. Boxee now has 1.6 million users overall.

Back after that last round, I wondered if Boxee was a little ahead of its time, and if the demand for Web content on TVs just wasn’t there yet. Founder and chief executive Avner Ronen told me that a generation gap was developing, with younger viewers seeing the Internet as the center of their entertainment. That seems to have been borne out in the last year, with lots of big players jumping on this trend, with the launch of the Google TV and a revamp of the Apple TV.

The funding comes from new investors Pitango and Softbank, as well as existing backers General Catalyst, Spark Capital, and Union Square Ventures. Boxee has now raised a total of $26.5 million in funding.

]]>1Internet-on-your-TV startup Boxee raises $16.5MNetflix finally lands on the Boxee Boxhttp://venturebeat.com/2011/02/14/netflix-boxee-box/
http://venturebeat.com/2011/02/14/netflix-boxee-box/#commentsMon, 14 Feb 2011 19:55:24 +0000http://venturebeat.com/?p=242986Support for Netflix streaming video has finally made its way to Boxee’s set-top box, the company announced today in a blog post. Netflix support was the most common user request for the Boxee Box, the company said, and for good reason. The feature wasn’t available when the Box started shipping in November — at the […]
]]>Support for Netflix streaming video has finally made its way to Boxee’s set-top box, the company announced today in a blog post.

Netflix support was the most common user request for the Boxee Box, the company said, and for good reason. The feature wasn’t available when the Box started shipping in November — at the time Boxee said that it would be available by the end of 2010. Obviously, it missed that deadline, and it also missed another deadline it set for the end of January when support for Vudu video rentals was added.

With Netflix and Vudu support, the Boxee Box now has a bigger selection of streaming video content than when it launched — but it may be too little too late to make it a viable competitor against Roku’s streaming boxes, the Apple TV, or even Google TV. Boxee actually had Netflix support up and running during the Consumer Electronics Show early last month, but the company apparently had a tough time ironing out the bugs.

Even though Boxee first announced the Box — which is built by D-Link — in December of 2009, it didn’t make its way to users until almost a year later. Hardware issues, including a switch from Nvidia’s Tegra chip to Intel’s Atom, likely led to the delayed release.

To get access to the Netflix feature on the Boxee Box, you’ll either need to manually update via the Settings menu, or wait for the automatic update to land within the next 24 hours.

]]>1Netflix finally lands on the Boxee BoxComcast to fend off Google TV with … somethinghttp://venturebeat.com/2010/12/14/comcast-internet-tv/
http://venturebeat.com/2010/12/14/comcast-internet-tv/#commentsTue, 14 Dec 2010 23:27:26 +0000http://venturebeat.com/?p=232614Perhaps tired of seeing its customers dump traditional cable service in favor of online video (a process known as cord cutting), telecom giant Comcast is testing a new service that will combine web video content with traditional TV. The service utilizes a next-generation set-top box that can deliver web video alongside traditional TV programming and […]
]]>Perhaps tired of seeing its customers dump traditional cable service in favor of online video (a process known as cord cutting), telecom giant Comcast is testing a new service that will combine web video content with traditional TV.

The service utilizes a next-generation set-top box that can deliver web video alongside traditional TV programming and digital video recorder (DVR) functionality, sources tell the Wall Street Journal. It’s currently in limited testing in Augusta, GA and is known to participants as “Spectrum” (internally, Comcast is calling it “Xcalibur”).

Whatever it ends up being called, the service is an attempt by Comcast to fight off other companies that pose a threat to its cable hegemony with products like Google TV, Roku’s set-top boxes and Apple TV. The service won’t allow Comcast customers to browse the web freely, and it’s still unclear what sort of web content they’ll have access to. Comcast still hasn’t decided if it will launch the service officially, or what sort of pricing model it would pursue.

Sponsored by VB

Join us at GrowthBeat where thought leaders from the biggest brands will share winning growth strategies on August 17-18 in San Francisco. Sign up now!

Over the past two quarters, cable subscriptions fell for the first time since the technology was introduced, falling by about 335,000 households from 100 million, the WSJ reports based on data from the research company SNL Kagan. Cable companies believe those users are mostly opting for free over-the-air programming instead of moving entirely to online video (I ended up doing the same thing when I dumped cable years ago).

Comcast, the largest paid TV provider in the US, lost around 275,000 subscribers (out of around 23 million) in the third quarter of this year. The new service has been in the works for over a year, the WSJ reports, and is being spearheaded by Sam Schwartz, a senior executive who previously ran the company’s investing arm, Comcast Interactive Capital.

With the service, we can also expect a more modern user interface from Comcast. The WSJ writes: “A menu displays a strip of images representing recently watched channels and programs, which expand when selected. A redesigned ‘guide’ displays a cleaner grid of programs by network and airtime so that it’s possible to watch TV on part of the screen while browsing.”

Comcast recently launched its Xfinity services to symbolize its move to an all digital network. With Xfinity, Comcast users can get access to cable TV content on their computers, and it will eventually make its way to the iPad and other tablets.

It sounds like Comcast specifically has Google TV in its sights, as it also offers similar integration between web and TV content. But given that Comcast’s business is entirely centered around making its users pay for TV content, whereas Google is less concerned about the survival of paid TV plans (it just wants a new platform for ads), it doesn’t seem like Comcast will ever wholeheartedly support web content.

]]>2Comcast to fend off Google TV with … somethingMotorola brings streaming video to mobile devices via mystery gadgethttp://venturebeat.com/2010/12/02/motorola-streaming-video-to-mobile-devices/
http://venturebeat.com/2010/12/02/motorola-streaming-video-to-mobile-devices/#commentsThu, 02 Dec 2010 16:23:51 +0000http://venturebeat.com/?p=230076Get your iPads ready to kick back on the couch. Motorola intends to bring streaming video to tablets and mobile phones in the home via a set-top box, according to Reuters. At first, the idea is to provide streaming video (movies, TV programs) to devices within a wireless network at home, but eventually Motorola wants […]
]]>Get your iPads ready to kick back on the couch. Motorola intends to bring streaming video to tablets and mobile phones in the home via a set-top box, according to Reuters.

At first, the idea is to provide streaming video (movies, TV programs) to devices within a wireless network at home, but eventually Motorola wants to enable its customers to watch any content, anywhere.

Reuters organized the Global Media Summit event on Wednesday where Motorola unveiled the product. The biggest obstacle to the product is not the technology, but the deals Motorola has to work out with content providers to allow users walk around with copyrighted programming in their pockets. This is the reason why the still-unnamed Motorola product will at first be restricted to streaming video within the home.

But legal technicalities will not confine on-demand video in mobile devices to just the home, says Motorola.

According to the president of Motorola Mobility, Daniel Moloney, streaming video will make its way to mobile devices due to consumer demand—in fact, he said it is a “consumer proposition that will come sooner rather than later.”

Offering only a glimpse for now, Motorola will showcase the product in January at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The product will be released as a separate device that service providers will offer to their customers—to possibly serve as an incentive for consumers to stay with a certain service provider—but eventually it will be integrated in set-top boxes.

It seems that Motorola is only just jumping on board, though: There already is the Slingbox which allows users to watch TV shows streamed from their set-top boxes to a computer or mobile device wherever they are, not just at home. And there’s the bigger question for streaming video from set-top boxes — is there really a need for it? After all, you can just opt to use a service like Hulu or Netflix and watch your favorite TV programs online whenever, wherever.

]]>0Motorola brings streaming video to mobile devices via mystery gadgetLogitech’s Google TV-powered Revue up for pre-order today, $299.99http://venturebeat.com/2010/10/06/logitechs-google-tv-powered-revue-up-for-pre-order-today-299-99/
http://venturebeat.com/2010/10/06/logitechs-google-tv-powered-revue-up-for-pre-order-today-299-99/#commentsWed, 06 Oct 2010 20:41:10 +0000http://venturebeat.com/?p=218448After months of mere glimpses at Logitech’s Revue set-top box, I got a closer look today, as well as some hands-on time, with the Google TV-powered device. The box will come bundled with a controller that looks like a typical computer keyboard with media controls. Logitech showed the product off at media events in New […]
]]>After months of mere glimpses at Logitech’s Revue set-top box, I got a closer look today, as well as some hands-on time, with the Google TV-powered device.

The box will come bundled with a controller that looks like a typical computer keyboard with media controls. Logitech showed the product off at media events in New York and San Francisco today. It certainly felt thin and light in my hands, but its size may turn off many consumers. Luckily, Logitech also developed a smaller keyboard it’s calling the mini controller which is far more compact.

The keyboards will use the same technology used in Logitech’s Harmony universal remotes. Both keyboards will also functional as universal remotes. For example, they will be able to control the volume on your stereo receiver, or other television functions.

Sponsored by VB

Join us at GrowthBeat where thought leaders from the biggest brands will share winning growth strategies on August 17-18 in San Francisco. Sign up now!

Logitech will be releasing Revue apps for both iPhone and Android phones that will let users control the set-top box. Users will be able to perform voice searches for content, and also push certain media like YouTube videos to the Revue box. Both of these features were demonstrated when Google first announced Google TV.

Logitech reps also showed off the TV Cam — a $149.99 high-definition webcam that takes advantage of Logitech’s Vid HD video conferencing software. The software is built into the Revue box and can communicate with Vid HD software on Macs and PCs. Consumers will be able to digitally zoom during a video call and pan the camera left or right digitally. When asked if Logitech’s recent line of HD webcams for computers would work on the Revue, the rep said they won’t “at the moment.” The TV Cam apparently features hardware compression, something that Logitech’s computer webcams don’t offer yet.

Surprisingly, Logitech brought out a Dish Network representative to promote the Revue’s Dish integration. Previously, it was assumed that Dish will integrate Google TV directly into its satellite receivers. That may still happen, but for now the Revue is Dish’s ticket to Google TV. The Revue will be able to communicate with Dish’s programming guide and DVR. The Dish rep also mentioned that Sony’s Google TV sets won’t be able to take advantage of Dish DVRs yet. [Update: Google says Sony Google TVs will integrate into Dish’s DVR just fine.]

The Revue box will be available for pre-order today for $299.99 (Dish subscribers can snag it for $179) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Logitech’s websites. Logitech expects the device to be on store shelves, and ready for shipment, by the end of the month. The mini-controller will retail for $129.99, and Logitech will also make the bundled keyboard available separately for $99.99.

]]>1Logitech’s Google TV-powered Revue up for pre-order today, $299.99GameTree TV will bring casual games to your TV (video)http://venturebeat.com/2010/09/17/gametree-tv-will-bring-casual-games-to-your-tv-video/
http://venturebeat.com/2010/09/17/gametree-tv-will-bring-casual-games-to-your-tv-video/#commentsFri, 17 Sep 2010 14:00:09 +0000http://venturebeat.com/?p=214180Blake Lewin, the president of Transgaming Digital Home, showed off a new TV-based GameTree TV game platform at the Intel Developer Forum this week in San Francisco. Transgaming has teamed up with Intel to create a smarter TV. Intel makes the code-named Sodaville chips — which are highly integrated consumer electronics processors — for set-top […]
]]>Blake Lewin, the president of Transgaming Digital Home, showed off a new TV-based GameTree TV game platform at the Intel Developer Forum this week in San Francisco. Transgaming has teamed up with Intel to create a smarter TV. Intel makes the code-named Sodaville chips — which are highly integrated consumer electronics processors — for set-top boxes. Those set-tops can link to the internet and download applications to the set-top box.

And GameTree TV runs on the set-top box, allowing you to download games to your box and play them on your TV set. The fact that it runs on a next-generation set-top box, with a 1.5-gigahertz processor and a PowerVR graphics capability, means that you will be able to play some pretty cool casual games. Lewin showed you could play a game such as PopCap’s Plants vs. Zombies or World of Goo. These games are like snacks for the family to play before they watch a movie. You could rent or buy the games as you like. It’s a lot like the Netflix video streaming service offered on a wide variety of set-top boxes.

Lewin showed off the user interface for the service. It is intuitive. You can use a wireless remote control to navigate through the selections of games and then play them with the remote control.The control is a lot like a wireless computer mouse, allowing you to maneuver a cursor on screen. Transgaming has a software development kit that will let publishers bring their PC games to the TV.

Transgaming is licensing the GameTree TV digital game download service to entertainment providers such as cable TV companies or telephone companies, who can offer it as one more service above and beyond music and movie services. Lewin said the company has a European customer but can’t say who it is yet. Intel, which invested in Transgaming, is introducing the company to distributors. There are 30 or so games launching this fall and 50 in the near future. If Transgaming can sell lots of games for low prices, then it could be one more force disrupting the console game business. But keep in mind that this is just one of many different kinds of “smart TVs” that are emerging in the new future. Rivals range from Samsung to Boxee. Check out our video below.

]]>3GameTree TV will bring casual games to your TV (video)Boxee’s streaming video Boxee Box up for pre-order, now with Intel Atom inside (video)http://venturebeat.com/2010/09/13/boxees-streaming-video-boxee-box-up-for-pre-order-now-with-intel-atom-inside/
http://venturebeat.com/2010/09/13/boxees-streaming-video-boxee-box-up-for-pre-order-now-with-intel-atom-inside/#commentsMon, 13 Sep 2010 21:50:17 +0000http://venturebeat.com/?p=213069Video streaming start-up Boxee unleashed a flood of news today regarding its set-top Boxee Box: It’s now available for pre-order exclusively on Amazon, it’s launching internationally in November, and most intriguingly, the company has dumped Nvidia’s Tegra 2 platform in favor of a new Intel Atom chip. To refresh, Boxee debuted the set-top box last […]
]]>Video streaming start-up Boxee unleashed a flood of news today regarding its set-top Boxee Box: It’s now available for pre-order exclusively on Amazon, it’s launching internationally in November, and most intriguingly, the company has dumped Nvidia’s Tegra 2 platform in favor of a new Intel Atom chip.

To refresh, Boxee debuted the set-top box last year, and it instantly became hotly anticipated among media addicts. The company has been working on software that lets users bring Web video content to their televisions for the past few years, but thus far it has required extensive set up on a computer or Apple TV. The Boxee Box would be an easy plug-and-play way for consumers to bring Boxee’s software to their living rooms.

By ordering through Amazon, US Boxee fans will receive their Box before it’s available anywhere else. The exclusive arrangement also appears to be working in Boxee’s favor: The company announced on Twitter that it’s already the No. 7 top seller in Amazon’s electronics section today.

Instead of the much-hyped Nvidia Tegra 2 platform, the final Box will be shipping with an Intel platform based on a new Atom chip (the Intel CE4100, codenamed “Sodaville”). Boxee says that the Tegra 2 had trouble playing large high-definition files using the H.264 video standard, so it needed to find something more capable. By teaming up with Intel, Boxee will also be a part of its “Smart TV” marketing campaign, which will be promoted this fall. Here’s a video demo of the Boxee box by VentureBeat’s Dean Takahashi.